


King Bileygr's Path of Hero

by zhoufriedbanana



Category: Tokyo Ghoul, ワンパンマン | One-Punch Man
Genre: Aogiri's Boss, F/M, Monster X Hero, One-eyed Ghoul - Freeform, Strong Monster From Another Universe, monster battle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29124336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhoufriedbanana/pseuds/zhoufriedbanana
Summary: After her fight with Nimura Furuta, Eto Yoshimura or Sen Takatsuki was not really dead. She woke up in a different world where monsters like in cheap isekai novels rampaged any place and, it was just a daily sight.Could she run her gauntlet as a kakuja in this crazy world? And how she would reflect about the meaning of a hero after she met a certain baldy?
Relationships: Saitama & Eto Yoshimura
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. New Predator

**Tokyo Ghoul belongs to Sui Ishida.**   
**One Punch Man belongs to ONE.**   
**I own none of them.**

* * *

She was mortally wounded, alone, on a cold metal floor. Her eyes were flickering as her consciousness started to slip away. In her blurry vision, she could see the remnant of the compactor she destroyed earlier. She never thought that Cochlea would be her final resting place.

“Damn that Furuta…” She cursed under her ragged breath. “If not be-cause of him… I… Well… Wh-atever. I thi-nk I’ll leave this to that kid.”

Perhaps her mission in this unfair world was over. She had surrendered all that she had. She came into this place bringing nothing and left without taking any possession either.

As a naturally born half ghoul, she had a mission to break the boundary between the two species. Between human and ghoul. However, fate was on her enemy’s favor and she died, trying.

In the end, she entrusted her struggle to a child she took interest in. This child might took the burden she had left.

King Bileygr was her legacy. Her last hope to open people’s eyes.

Soon, a wave of revolution was coming.

Her plan was perfect. She was sure that sooner or later, people’s view might change. An ideal world where human and ghoul could live together might come true. She didn’t take the role as a hero although maybe one day, people might regard her as one.

Thinking about that unfortunately brought her disgust. In her mind, hero was just an absurd concept ever created by human’s mind.

As she drew her last breath, a sad smile adorned her face. She had nothing left except the hatred she felt towards the world.

Soon, her body ran cold and what she saw was a black cube. Her mind was adrift, unable to reach about what kind of thing that was. Then everything faded into a complete darkness. It was her end.

Or, was there something beyond this darkness?

* * *

‘ _Where am I?_ ’

Eto gasped and opened her eyes. She felt like she was just sleeping. Though, it felt weird.

She cast her gaze to the surroundings as light stung her vision. She sniffed the air and it was normal, just like the one she inhaled, back in Tokyo. She looked straight and she saw the usual blue sky. She was laying on her back.

When she tilted her head to the sides, she saw grass and some trees. She could feel morning breeze and the raiment she wore. It was the prisoner gown. It was clean. No bloodstain was present.

At first, Eto thought that she was in the afterlife or something along that line. She was dead after all. 

However, the view before her totally defied the concept of after-life. She could see modern buildings from afar, which made her frown. She looked behind her to find a bench and some street lamps.

She didn’t know where she was, but at least she could tell that it was not Tokyo. She never knew this park. A myriad of question bubbled in her mind.

At that point, it got really weird. Was the heaven a parallel twin of her old world? Was it a dream? For a dream, this was too real.

Some bad thoughts about isekai plot starting to pop up in her head. And as a novelist, Eto or Sen Takatsuki, always regarded isekai as the filthiest garbage of literary world.

As her confusion became more acute, she could feel nothing was wrong with her body. She also could feel her kakuhou sac was okay.

She decided to take a walk along the park which was very quiet. She tried to reason and find out what kind of place she was in.

The moment her bare feet touched the paved road, she heard a very loud alarm sound, coming from the middle of the city.

**[WARNING FROM HERO ASSOCIATION… WARNING… WARNING… THREE TIGER LEVEL MONSTERS ARE ATTACKING CITY Y! ALL CITIZENS, EVACUATE TO THE NEARBY SHELTER! ALL AVAILABLE HEROES, PLEASE RESPOND THIS URGENT CALL!]**

‘ _WHAT THE HELL!_ ’ Eto yelled in her thought. ‘ _Is this Tokyo!? Is this Japan!? Hero Association!? Monsters?! Seriously?!_ ’

The idea of an alarm which announced that a monster appeared in a broad daylight was too preposterous. And the name of the organization was too laughable. She almost screamed due to such bizarreness.

She could not perceive what kind of situation she was in. She thought that probably she was in a very huge studio for taking shot of a colossal movie. However, that couldn’t explain how she was laying supine by the lake. Someone or something must have brought her there and healed her.

That illogical thing and questions regarding her situation only drove her to discover what was really happening. As she gritted her teeth in irritation, she trekked her way through the road, leading her towards city street.

* * *

Chaos was the first sight which welcomed her the moment she came to the downtown. A literal chaos where people were running from something.

When she looked at the panicked citizens, she found that she was indeed not in Japan anymore. As she walked, she saw nearly all ethnicity in the world. The race diversity was ridiculously high. Even America was not like this. For a moment, her annoyance replaced by an awe.

She eyed every building she caught in her vision and to her surprise, it looked just like in Tokyo or any other metropolis in the world. However, the names and brands on the billboards and any other signs showed the use of multiple language. Were they polyglots?

The most obvious thing, she didn’t have any trouble to understand what people said.

As she walked casually, people stared at her. Some of them warned her and even tried to pull her, but she kept going and ignored them. 

Speaking of the devil, one of the monsters finally came into her sight. Stood at around three meters high with sharp claws, strong tail, red eyes, greenish scales… It was a typical humanoid-lizard she saw in a kid’s TV show. Even now, this kind of lizardman also found its way into isekai novels. 

‘ _Perhaps this world is really a damn isekai!_ ’ Eto thought in ire. ‘ _Nice. Just like what I expected._ ’

“Gyahahaha… I was an expert in reptilian, but one day, I got bitten by Tsuchi No Ko and I become like this. Now I’ll rampage and prove to the world that I am the king of reptilians!!!”

The monster closed his monologue as he slammed his fist to the outside of a clothing store, breaking the main door and shattering the glass. People who were still nearby ran and screamed.

‘ _Perfect! Very very perfect! A researcher doing his stuff and bitten by thing which never exists? Turned into a lizard just to fulfill his childish delusion?_ ’ Eto mused as her eye twitched.

She didn’t expect her arrival in this “afterlife” would be this eventful. So eventful in a bizarre way that her rage would drag her into her monster form. After all, she could unleash her kakuja form if need be. However, she still needed to prove whether the thing before her was real or not. The idea of such a monster was outrageously funny.

“Excuse me mister herpetologist.” The petite novelist strode towards the lizard guy and greeted him politely. “Do you know where am I? I’m lost.”

“Huh?” The reptilian put a dumbfounded look as he faced the woman. “Little girl! What the hell are you doing here?! You’re not afraid of me?! HAH!!!”

Eto squinted her eyes as stinky breath, mixed with saliva sprayed at her as the lizard yapped. Now she was sure that it was real. It was not a hallucination and she was totally pissed off. Her right eye turned into kakugan as she looked at the lizardman, dead into its eyes.

“EH…?!! Hetero-chromatic? I’ve never seen on– AAARRRGGHHH…!”

Eto’s ukaku kagune impaled the lizardman’s chest. As crimson liquid gushed out from the wound, people nearby were shocked to see a little girl killed a tiger-level monster with a weird appendage, protruding from her back. The action was jaw-droppingly stunning!

“Oi… Who’s she?”

“A hero?”

“And what’s that?”

Eto put a satisfied smile as she retracted her ukaku from the lizard and let it vanish. The lizard for a moment grunted in pain before it dropped down, dead with a gaping hole on its chest.

“Another monster...!”

“Impossible…!”

“RUN!”

The crowd who previously was awe-stricken by Eto’s ability suddenly freaked out. Her ability was more like a monster than a human. Their human’s nature obviously would not allow them to linger around such grotesque and unknown thing, for they feared their safety.

The novelist deemed it as normal and shrugged her shoulders in response.

When she walked away from the scene to continue her wandering, her bare feet stepped on a leaflet. Curious, she took it and read the content. It intrigued her, somewhat.

‘ _So, this Hero Association is... real!?_ ’ She mused in exasperation as she stared intensely at the paper. ‘ _I wonder if this thing is something like CCG._ ’

She folded the paper and slipped it into her dress pocket. She took a last glance at the street and saw some black smokes were puffing into the air from afar.

‘ _Ah… So this place is another world, huh? Maybe this will be fun compared to that world._ ’ Eto left that place as a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

* * *

A certain bald guy in a yellow jumpsuit was walking back home from his daily hero activity with a small plastic bag in his left hand. For some reason, instead of a triumphant hero’s smile, he was sporting a scowl while muttering something along his lonely walk in that quiet evening.

A very serious matter was really troubling this hero who nobody knew. This guy named Saitama, had just lost nearly all of his source for sustaining his cheapskate lifestyle.

“Man… This is the worst. My favorite store was destroyed this morning. No more super sale and all my shopping coupons will go to waste.” The hero sulked at the ill fate which befell him. “Haaah~ Nothing good comes to me.”

“VROOM… I’m Super Custom YO649Z Mk. II! I really love to modify cars so much that I turn like this. VROOM...!”

As the streetlight began to illuminate the place, Saitama only cast a bored stare at the monster before him. It was a car humanoid, with mufflers on its back and a car front for its chest. It looked more wacky than dangerous compared to the monsters he slew earlier that day. Maybe this poor creature just wanted to harass him.

“VROOM…?” The eyes-headlights of the monster glowed as it tilted its head in confusion.

Before the Super Custom thing could utter anything, a screeching sound of clashing metal from around that junkyard echoed. The perpetrator approached as the sound grew louder.

It was another humanoid monster with one crimson glowing eyes on the right of its face, white spikes with red and purple veins protruding from its back. It walked slowly on its two legs as it let the spear-like appendages from behind its shoulders hung loosely, grating the scraps on the ground.

“VROOM… Who the hell are you? Another monster?”

It was the last thing Super Custom YO649Z Mk. II could ask since the other being launched its lance forward, piercing it. The car monster fell to the ground with clanks, buried by metal parts it adored so much.

Meanwhile, the baldy shockingly did not budge from his standing place. He even put a goofy smile to see a monster who brutalized its fellow. His amusement rose a little bit when the murderous monster turned to him.

“ **You! What are you looking at, baldy!? Aren’t you scared?** ” The monster spoke with an unnerving shrill voice as it pointed its spear towards the hero’s dome of a head.

“DON’T CALL ME BALDY!” Saitama frowned as he grabbed the giant spike and pulled it, ripping it completely off the monster.

The monster couldn’t react, stunned, and an extremely strong blow followed to punch a hole on its body. The monster checked the wound and it was literally hollowed. It tilted its head to see Saitama and found that his red-gloved fist was smoldering.

“ **What the hell… GUUUH!!!** ” Blood oozed from under the monster’s white mask.

Despite the mortal injury it sustained, it refused to die. From inside the wound, lumps of meat flowed out and the monster inflated, its body bloated. The flesh transformed into some bones and muscles in an unimaginable speed as it grew in size, reaching the height of a three-storey building.

“Wow! A monster survived my punch! Cool!” Saitama exclaimed in jubilation as the monster took its final form. “Now it’s transforming. Guess this is more fun than that purple guy with antennas!”

The creature morphed into a grotesque giant with single black eye on the center of its face, horns adorned its head like a crown. A row of huge incisors made its grin more prominent despite its carnivorous nature. The spikes on its back grew bigger like some missiles while the white lances turned into two pairs of pillar-sized needles. Its arms elongated as if its claws were ready to tear apart the human before it.

“ **Khiiiiiiiiii…! Just now, that hurt! I’ll really crush you bald–** ”

The monster could not even complete its threat with its bloodcurdling shriek for the hero delivered his second punch. 

“I TOLD YOU TO NOT CALL ME BALD! DAMN IT!” 

The impact from the fist blew its body completely, destroying the seemingly unbreakable fiber of steel-like muscle. The shock wave even separated its head from the body.

As the head spun in the air, the remain of the lower torso suddenly disintegrated into some red mist. It just completely collapsed and decomposed into crimson gas, surprising the hero, somewhat.

The head fell with a loud thud at the deeper part of that dumpster. Like the body, it disintegrated into red gas. However, it left a figure of a person, lying unconscious in place of the monster’s head.

“Oh! A girl? Was she… eaten by that weird monster?” Saitama immediately came over to have a better look at the fainted lady.

The hero was surprised to find the green-haired girl. Despite her short stature, Saitama could recognize that she was an adult. She was dressed in a purple blouse, a pair of white jeans, and red slippers with her hair styled into a bob-cut. Her relatively brand new blouse weirdly got a large hole on the stomach with some stain of blood.

“Uh… What should I do? Bring her to a police station? I’ll be accused for being an assailant. They’ll question me for her wrecked and bloody shirt.” The hero ruminated some options as he ducked near the woman. “To a hospital? Nah. She seems okay. She doesn’t look like injured and I don’t wanna get charged for a fake medication. Guess I’ll bring her home.”

Saitama scooped the girl into his arms and headed to his apartment beyond the part of that city. As he walked, a smile rose on his ever present bland face.

‘ _Well, maybe this time, something nice really comes to me._ ’

* * *

Eto suddenly woke up to a loud ringing of an alarm clock. She blinked several times as her body picked up a familiar sensation of a futon, wrapping her person. She tilted her head to her side and her eyes nearly popped out.

Her memory was still fuzzy, but she could make out a certain outline. The object was a shining dome of a head she would never miss.

Before the half-ghoul could utter anything, the man suddenly woke up and smashed the source of the nuisance. He shut it off completely before she could get a glimpse of what time it was.

“I am Subterranean King! I plan to repopulate the surface, so prepare yourself to be annihilated, surface dwellers!”

As crazy as it sounded, a bold declaration delivered in a high-pitched voice struck her ears. At this point, Eto couldn’t comprehend anymore about the situation in that morning. Her confusion skyrocketed when the guy beside her leaped in a motion her eyes nearly failed to track and changed from his blue pajamas into his jumpsuit.

He really was changing in front of her without minding her. Or did he really forget her presence?

Moreover, he was bald. The thought that this person was a pervert crawled in Eto’s mind.

She was screwed, hopeless. There was no telling about when and how he would ravage her.

Is this the point to revive in another world? To experience a much illogical and painful challenge?

If she should redo the fight with Furuta and died once again, she would rather pick that option.

And never to come back to live, maybe.

She might be the one who had all Tokyo nearly in her grasp under the shadow of One-eyed King, but the being before her was an unstoppable force who could end her in a blink. She doubted that even CCG and all ghouls combined could face this guy.

With such tremendous power, not even Clown, nor V could lay their hands upon him.

His face was extremely devoid of life, yet his power was catastrophically absurd. She could still feel the haunting pain from that damn ordeal last night, dancing in her guts.

And the guy just stormed out from the balcony as quickly as he tucked his red glove. The faint excitement on his face was the last thing Eto could perceive, shattering her train of thought. Well, at least there was still something which made his face more alive.

Unfortunately, that could never change the predicament she should face.

However, she didn’t want to give in. There must be a way out. As she pondered about her options, she took a breath and exhaled it slowly.

The RC cells in her bloodstream lessened the tension. Her mind became clearer. For now, she should analyze the environment around her.

The petite novelist crawled out from the bed and gazed at her surroundings. She was enamored at the sight of books, magazines, cups of noodles and shopping brochures strewn across the room that she didn’t hear an explosion from outside.

“How reminiscent of my old working place.” Eto stood as she began to explore the interior.

She looked around and found all basic furniture an ordinary salary man would possess. Perhaps the items which interested her the most were the light gray laptop on the desk and the rack of manga near the TV. From this point, she usually could have guessed what kind of person the dweller was.

Nonetheless, her hypothesis ruined when the memory about his insane feat resurfaced. This guy might be not as simple as she thought.

About how simple he was, she would find it out soon for the man had come back from his business. This time, he went in from his apartment’s door.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

Such a simple way to greet her actually pulled her nerve. At first, she really wanted to attack this guy, but she calculated how thin the possibility she could harm him. If she missed, it could be her second death. She still remembered vividly how the man’s punch could punctured a hole on her kakuja form. It was horrible.

At last, she decided to play along while hoping that he might not kill her.

“Oh, hi. Sorry. But care to explain why I wear this?”

She spoke as she pulled the sides of the sweatshirt she wore. The piece of clothes was large enough to cover her, but the problem was the logo printed on its front. It was quite offensive, putting woman’s precious twin assets as an insignia with the word which made them blatantly literal.

Sen Takatsuki probably was not a feminist, yet this kind of liberal art was unacceptable for her taste. This fact only led her to the conclusion that the baldy was a pervert.

“Well, sorry about that. I only changed your clothes cause yours was busted.” The guy spoke as his face showed a slight sign of panic. “If you wanna take it back, it’s still near the washing machine.”

She tried to look at the guy’s eyes. They were extremely simple, just like a pair of dots. That made it even harder to figure out whether he was lying or not.

“I see...” The green-haired woman sighed. “Okay. Now, would you like to tell me where am I and who are you.”

“Isn’t that obvious? You’re in my apartment.” The man answered blandly.

Eto slapped her face. “No. I mean the city, district, or any name of this area.”

“City Z.” The baldy widened his eyes. “Oh! You must be not from around here.”

“Yes. I came from a very, very far away place.” Eto replied, annoyed.

“Oh, I see… Then how come you got eaten by a monster?” The man inquired curiously.

Eto was staggered. The question struck her like a jolt.

Right after her arrival, she only had a meager chance to explore the world she was in. She managed to secure an immense fund by pick-pocketing a shady guy named Zaimeet, but she hadn’t paid more attention to the most basic principle of the world.

She knew that monster was a common sight, but she missed the fact that ghoul had never existed. Either they were really nonexistent or something managed to wipe this race completely from earth – provided that the earth was the same.

In this regard, a kakuja would be regarded as simply a monster. Their difference in their appearance with the native monsters from this world was not distinct, so she assumed that the baldy wouldn’t ask her anymore.

“That’s… Well. Things just happened like that.” Eto surrendered her plan to explain herself.

“Hoh… But what was that monster? I mean, it suddenly turned into some red gas after I punched it. Like... ‘whoosh.’” The baldy inquired more.

Eto narrowed her eyes. When she just shut her door for any discussion, he punched it open. She made a mental note that this man could be quite observant despite his dismissive nature.

However, she could just dodge this one easily.

“How should I know? I was… eaten you know.” The former Aogiri boss rolled her eyes. “And hey! You haven’t answered my other question.”

“Oh! My bad… I’m Saitama.” The guy answered.

“Sai-tama…?” Eto muttered loud enough that the man got flustered. “Prefecture…?”

“Eh?”

The world just went crazier. First, it was monster. Then the people and the names of the city. And then this guy who could blast her kakuja form with a single blow whose name was after a prefecture – with his weird appearance.

‘ _I’m at loss…_ ’

“Is there something wrong?” Saitama asked to break the silence.

“Oh! Um… Nothing.” The ghoul masked her confusion with a smile.

“Okay. Then you are…?”

“Eto.” The novelist answered shortly. “Nice to meet you, Saitama-san.”

After she discovered that people in this world only had single name, she expelled the name of her irresponsible father. And her pen name didn’t meet her taste either.

“Oh. Nice to meet you too.” Saitama put down his boots and entered the room. “So, are you planning to leave, Eto-san?”

The question sounded more like he wanted to kick her out. Eto took another note that Saitama was probably a hermit person. It was a good signal since she shouldn’t prolong her stay in this creep’s den.

“Well… Not until I can secure a place to stay.” Eto sat beside the laptop desk.

“Oh, I see. You can stay here for a while though.” Saitama spoke as he tidied up the futon.

“Thanks, but I prefer to go to a hotel. Is there any hotel nearby?”

Saitama scratched his bald head as he plopped down, facing Eto. “Hmm… It’s a little bit far. The closest is around three hours walk. Because here, there’s no bus or train. Well, it used to, but now there is no more.”

Silence. The ghoul tried to grasp the idea but failed in the process.

“Okay. Give me a second.” Eto took a glance at the glass door of the balcony. “So tell me, Saitama-san. You said this is City Z.”

“Yep.”

“But why there’s no transport? This isn’t a rural area, right?” Eto asked as she felt some irk bubbled up in her mind.

“This area has been abandoned. Mostly because of monsters.” The hero spoke the fact nonchalantly.

A breeze came inside the room, blowing the curtain gently as the ghoul tried to digest what the man had said. The absurdity of this world had peaked to the point that her harsh days back in Ward 24 paled in comparison.

Eto stood up and waltzed to the balcony. She saw a highway overpass. She stared at it for a moment and darted her gaze below. Fissures and holes marred the street. She turned to the neighboring balcony and it looked vacant for a long time.

Everything about that place spoke out an absolute desolation. A remnant of a human civilization which was mostly intact. Still, it was a ghost town.

“Is this all caused by monsters?” Eto tilted her head to Saitama who was standing beside her.

“Yep. Like those.” The man pointed at some mysterious beings who were marching on the street.

Eto stared at them in bafflement as her enhanced hearing caught what these monsters were blabbering about. She got a piece of information which grew her irritation for how silly it was.

“Tell me, Saitama-san. Is killing monster legal?”

“I think it is. No one’s prohibits it. Even I go hunt them down every day.” Saitama replied.

“Hmm, I see…”

Without a warning, the ghoul unleashed her ukaku kagune to make a pair of white arms on her back and hurled the monster with RC shards. This sudden transformation only made the hero slightly hang his jaw.

The dwarf devil, the humanoid slug, the kobold and the locust man were killed without getting a chance to offer their resistance. Their face showed the utter shock they suffered before their death by impalement of crimson crystals.

“Eto-san? What’s that?” Saitama asked as he pointed at the extra appendages on Eto’s back.

“You might say it’s my ability. I can manipulate my cancer cell in my body.” The novelist came up with a scientifically convincing bluff as her kagune vanished. “Does that scare you, Saitama-san?”

Eto decided to test the water. She was tired already from the ordeal of this world. Suppose that Saitama really bought her lie, she could use it to secure a tie with the overpowered hero.

After all, deception was the key success of survival in Tokyo.

“Not at all. I think it’s cool.” Saitama put a dumb, yet sincere smile.

“Really?” Eto sported an intrigued smile in response.

“Yeah. A human who can manipulate a tumor at will… That’s like something out of manga.” Saitama remarked by using the closest thing he could think of.

It appeared that the more Eto interacted with Saitama, the more she found him as a unique individual. Like a mysterious character in a novel, he drew her to explore about him in an amusing way.

His dumbness might be a hole for her to exploit. However, she probably still needed some time to grasp the full extent of the situation.

“Are you serious, Saitama-san?” Eto followed curiously.

“Yeah. I really mean that. Though, don’t you think it’s dangerous? You said it’s a cancer, right?” Saitama asked Eto with a slight concern in his tone.

Eto’s train of thought ceased. She fell silent as she felt a queer emotion surged in herself.

This feeling was nothing like his foster father’s affection, Noro. It was off and indescribable, but it was pleasant. She didn’t want to let herself linger with this kind of thing, but eventually, she succumbed to the pleasure.

The most shocking thing, it came from a man who almost ended her second life. A man she deemed as a dangerously innocent, yet overpowered weirdo.

“Well… As far as I know, I don’t feel any discomfort or serious illness. I even find it as something useful since I can use it to defend myself.” Eto explained and smiled, putting her feeling behind her mind.

‘ _Sadly, not against you!_ ’ The novelist spat in her thoughts.

“Oh, I see.” The baldy nodded in understanding. “Then, it’s good I guess.”

Eto giggled. “You’re strange, Saitama-san.”

“Oh… Uh. Well. Many people say so.” Saitama scratched the back of his head using his gloved hand, producing some squeaks.

A growl suddenly echoed around that balcony. The hero glanced at his belly and cast a cringe of embarrassment.

“Aw… Breakfast.” Saitama muttered. “Um, Eto-san, if you would, I can make some miso for us. But I don’t think it would be enough, so… Is it okay if I take some of those monsters?”

Eto squinted her eyes in confusion. “Do you mean that you also eat monsters?”

“Well… Some monsters are edible. Sometimes, I ate them.” Saitama replied nonchalantly as he perked his head to see which one of Eto’s kills looked palatable. “Especially fish monsters. They taste like seafood.”

‘ _This is quite unprecedented. Is he also a kakuja?_ ’ Eto measured some options as she scrutinized Saitama’s offer.

“If you don’t like it or... maybe you have some allergy, I can pass and buy some food outside.” Saitama added another option.

Eto grinned. “I guess I shouldn’t pass this unique experience. I wonder about the taste of monster meat, so I’m on it.”

Saitama sported a bland smile in response. “Okay.”


	2. Serious Resentments

**Tokyo Ghoul belongs to Sui Ishida.**   
**One Punch Man belongs to ONE.**   
**I own none of them.**

* * *

On a cloudy day, sounds of clatter and some clicks filled the room in a certain apartment. The source of the noise was a woman who was typing vigorously on a laptop.

Between the clattering sound, the voice of a news-speaker on the TV could be heard. The news was about a warning for the citizen of Z City to close all the doors and windows. A mysteriously devastating mosquito attack recently had become a hot news around the metro.

“Wow! Eto-san, you’ve typed since last night, right? Why don’t you take a rest?” Saitama asked as he poured some water into his green elephant watering pot.

“I’m okay, Saitama-san. Just a little bit more.” Eto replied as she didn’t even halt her fingers from hitting the keyboard. “But can you help me to check the spelling later on?”

“Ah, sure. Besides, I’ve read early part of your work and I really enjoy it. It’s funny.” The bald hero remarked as he walked towards his balcony, passing the half-ghoul. “What’s the title by the way?”

“Resentments.”

“Hmm… Resentments? I don’t think it’s something about conflict though.” Saitama quipped as he crouched before his beloved and only cactus.

“Oh. I assure you that you’ll find it.” Eto typed some more lines as her lips curled up. “Ah… Finally done.”

“Congrats. It’s barely a day and you’ve made three chapters. That’s cool.” Saitama commented as he watered his cactus while Eto was lying down on the floor. “Oh. And if you want to have breakfast, I’ve made some rice and omelet.”

“Thanks, Saitama-san. Guess I’ll hit the shower first.” The woman sloppily rolled as she yawned.

“Alright. If you need some clothes, feel free to take mine.”

“Okay.” Eto lazily rose as she stretched her back.

As the novelist headed to the bathroom, the baldy kept sprinkling water onto his cactus. He made sure to let every surface and even every spike on his dear plant wet.

When his hand was mid air to keep the rain, a black buzzing, blood-sucking abomination landed on his fist. Spontaneously, Saitama did what most people did. He slapped his fist with his other hand.

Bad luck. The mosquito managed to slip away from between his fingers. 

Putting aside the routine, the baldy placed down his watering pot and decided to hunt the bug which kept bugging him. He tried to match its persistence with his tenacity, palms opened to slap it every time it landed on his person.

Unfortunately, Saitama lost to the mosquito’s land-and-fly tactic despite his serious slaps. He could only grind his teeth as veins bulged around his forehead since the devil never failed to escape his attacks. The high-pitched flapping of its wings now even sounded like an insult.

Meanwhile inside the bathroom, Eto was on edge. As she dipped herself in the tub, some unnatural rumblings startled her. She didn’t have any idea about what it was, but when her thought trailed to Saitama, she finally could relax, somewhat.

‘ _Ugh… Must be that baldy! Seriously? What’s he doing?_ ’ Eto sank herself into the warm water and blew some air, making some small bubbles.

‘ _Stuck with a jobless guy who can blow a kakuja and ate some monster meat to cover his daily need? Though, I should admit that his cricket yakiniku was quite tasty, but what kind of fate is this?_ ’ Eto continued her musing as she rubbed her arms. ‘ _And suddenly I decided to rewrite my third work just because I can’t find any good literary works on the net. Well…_ ’

The novelist stepped out from the bath to have a cold shower. When she was about to rub some shampoo onto her hair, she heard some breaking noise.

‘ _And what now?_ ’ Eto squinted her eyes slightly. ‘ _Huh~ Never mind.._.’

After a good five minutes, Eto went out from the bathroom with an oversized yellow shirt and a pair of black shorts. All of them were Saitama’s since her clothes she bought the previous day were either wet or busted.

Eto darted her gaze around and found that nothing was off. Not a single thing changed from that main room. She walked towards the balcony and when she looked at the horizon, a huge explosion occurred, followed by a black mushroom smoke. She sighed and glanced back at the room.

“I wonder what kind of thing Saitama-kun is pulling out. After all, this world is an insanity at its finest.” Eto casually strode into the room to take her sandals before she headed out.

* * *

The moment Eto ran into the place where the smoke was puffing, she found that the earth and the buildings were scorched as if something had burned them. The scale of the combustion was quite massive since the asphalt and metals melted at some places. Even plastics and glasses charred into crisps. Her sandals nearly melted due to the remaining heat.

Beside the rather apocalyptic sight, she also saw a unique atmospheric phenomenon: a long clear line which cleaved the black cloud, revealing the blue sky above. She still doubted that it was the baldy’s work, but who knows?

She walked some blocks further and spotted Saitama who… wore his birthday suit. She assumed that he was caught in the explosion and miraculously survived by sacrificing his outfit. His face didn’t show any shock either despite enduring the utterly demolishing event. 

Unlike most ladies who would scream upon seeing such an unholy sight, Eto wasn’t fazed at all! Instead, she found this natural sculpture in its truest form as something amazing. She admired Saitama’s healthy chiseled body which built his athletic frame. This fine adornment was quite rare, even among many investigators she had devoured in the past.

“Saitama-san… What happened?” Eto called as she furtively fixed her sight on Saitama’s dearest asset in subtle amusement.

“Oh well, you know… There was a giant mosquito that buzzed around. So I just slapped it.” The baldy quickly covered his nether place as his other hand pointed at a building with a weird red paint.

As if in accord with Eto’s eyes movement towards the spot, a very familiar aroma she had missed for a while tickled her nostrils. She found that the paint on the building was indeed blood. The mosquito should be huge enough since the liquid it contained could smear two sides of a 12-story apartment.

“Heeeh? And what’s with the big explosion just now?” Eto raised her brows as she asked another question.

“Um... Oh. There’s this dude who previously fought that mosquito. He’s right there.”

Eto veered her gaze around and found the “dude” Saitama had mentioned. Surprisingly, the dude appeared to be some sort of doll. She turned to Saitama and got a shrug of his shoulders.

Although the male mannequin was wrecked, it had some quality which told Eto that it was alive. And “he” was alive since it suddenly jerked and craned his head to face her.

“Are you Saitama-sensei’s relative?” The broken male doll asked Eto.

“Wow. He talks?” Eto turned to Saitama again, perplexed at the existence of this kind of technology.

“Yeah. He’s some sort of robot though.” Saitama switched his gaze from Eto back to the dude as some blue electricity sparks flew around the his broken wiring. “Since when I become your master? And we’re–”

“Saitama-san is my boyfriend. I’m Eto.” The novelist quickly interjected as she hinted him to play along, winking twice as she grabbed his hand. “Nice to meet you, robot-kun.”

“Oh, um… Well, yeah. Eto-san is my... girlfriend.” Saitama added as he nervously chuckled while his cheeks slightly blushed.

Truth be told, in all his life, Saitama almost never had a real experience with girls. During his school days, barely a female classmate got in touch with him. They always regarded him as a dismissable weirdo since he was such a klutz who enjoyed being alone rather than in company with others. As a result, he also became an object of bullying.

Even to the day when he reached job-hood, nary a woman regarded him as a person, let alone a man although his appearance was quite the looker. He had been used to this harsh reality that he lost any thought to make a serious relationship like most men would do around this age.

After he went bald, most women would look at him with scornful gaze as if his baldness was a contagious disease. If he was lucky enough however, he would earn some sympathizing looks instead. At this point, a serious relationship was an unreachable dream he had buried in the void of his memory.

Now, how on earth that a girl who barely stayed for 24 hours with him spoke that she was his lover, out of the blue? Although Saitama was aware that Eto probably only pulled him to a funny game, deep down, it had ignited a small spark of a long lost desire in his heart. 

A desire of a man in need of love.

On the other side, Eto’s scheme might backfire her in a way she probably wouldn’t expect. Whether it would lead her to another misery or happiness however, for now, it’s not a matter she cared.

“Oh I see… Then, Saitama-sensei, Eto-sensei… Please, let me become your disciple!”

““Eh?”” Saitama and Eto turned at each other as they muttered in unison, confused.

“Oh… Is that too much to ask?” The robot asked.

The former Aogiri boss quickly regained her composure as she cleared her throat. “First thing first, can I know your name? Because I don’t want to address you with rude names like robot-kun.”

“I’m Genos, Eto-sensei!” The robot answered with vigor. “I am a cyborg!”

‘ _Cyborg? So, a part human and machine does exist? Fascinating…_ ’ Eto mused as she slightly creased her brows in pondering upon the presence of the outrageous technology.

The half-ghoul could recognize some human tissues which was still attached to Genos’ body, thanks to the severe damage he sustained. It made her wonder about how this kind of creature could be alive. Probably the good old doctor Kanou could explain this thing.

And probably he would combine them with ghoul, resulting in a new grotesque creature, provided that he took interest in this advanced mechanical tech.

The half-ghoul regarded the youthful artificial being once again. He seemed to be an interesting boy, so talking with him perhaps could gave her more insights about this world.

“Alright, Genos-kun, regarding your request, maybe you can discuss it with us after you are… healthy enough. Right?” The novelist offered as she nudged Saitama.

“Y-yeah. Come see us again, Genos.” Saitama nervously nodded while sporting an awkward smile.

“Thank you, Saitama-sensei, Eto-sensei!!”

The fake couple turned around and left the broken cyborg on that spot. Saitama walked as he covered his part as Eto was beside him.

“Eto-san, you’re very good with people, huh?” The hero complimented the half-ghoul. “And thanks, I guess. But, seriously? Is there any other way than saying that we’re a couple?”

Eto’s lips curled up in amusement as she rolled her eyes to see the nervous baldy. “Oh, come-on Saitama-san… I guess people might think that it’s rather ridiculous if I’m your sister or your distant relative, right? So, why don’t we pretend to be a couple? Besides, if I’m your relative, naturally I would scream when I saw you.”

Saitama rubbed his head, unsure at how he should respond. “Well, you have a point. Still, it’s kinda weird.”

“Weird you say?” Eto smiled mischievously as she pulled down the shorts she donned in. “Then why don’t we make it not weird?”

“Eh!? Eto-san…!” Saitama’s eyes bulged in slight horror. “Oi, oi, oi… You gotta be kidding, right?”

Now, the development had suddenly reached a dangerous zone. Saitama instantly marked it as a red-code since he couldn’t tell whether Eto was serious or just pulling a prank on him.

 _‘D-damn! I never thought that I picked up a predatory girl!!_ ’ Saitama cold-sweated as he glanced at the shorts which had slid down to Eto’s shins, pulling up her legs and it probably would over. ‘ _What should I do!? Uh… I mean, I had never done this before, and now!? Seriously!?_ ’

If he really knew that she was a predator in a literal sense, probably he would just left her on the junkyard that night. Fortunately, the Lord of the Black Cube up there still had mercy on her.

Or he simply snatched her from death’s door to make his game more desirable by punishing this certain baldy.

Saitama’s muscles stiffened. Somewhat, this panic and fear he had almost forgotten for a while resurfaced. This horror however, was slightly different than the fear when he nearly lose a fight or missing a super-discount sale. Still, it was something which drove his mind and body into alert, raising his heartbeat and offering him ‘flight or fight’ option.

“… Hehehehe…!” The half-ghoul giggled heartily upon the baldy’s stiff reaction as she let the oversized shirt descended over her upper thighs, covering them in the manner of a one-piece dress. “Just kidding, okay. It’s such a pain that you don’t wear anything, right? Going commando with a girl… It’s the real awkward thing.”

Just when his adrenaline level peaked as he expected an ominous “fight,” it ended with a single push, just like his current fights whenever he encountered a monster. The pressure in his bloodstream fell dramatically, back to its usual lapsed state.

“Huh...!?” The baldy cast a long dumbfounded stare upon the novelist’s true intention. “Ugh… Well.”

Saitama grumbled as he tucked the shorts off Eto’s hand. She chuckled again to see his complex expression as he swiftly wore the pants. Annoyance, exasperation and a slight disappointment were the faint emotion she could catch from his awfully-accustomed lifeless face.

He might have managed to restrain himself, yet his body actually was in accord should Eto really launched her assault on him. He probably might succumb to her temptation if she didn’t stop. 

“You know, Saitama-san, I cannot help but laugh. Seriously, are you always be awkward around women?” Eto teased as she also noticed that her prank had cruelly hurt Saitama’s manhood.

Saitama instinctively put his hand on his throbbing part. “I guess. You’re really mean Eto-san. I’m damned if you really did that.”

“Hehehe… Don’t worry, Saitama-kun. I guess one day we’ll really do it.” Eto grinned joyfully as she bounced and walked ahead of Saitama. “Now, let’s go, Saitama-kun! Let me tell you some more of my secrets.”

Before Saitama could even retort, Eto suddenly dashed into a blur, leaving him in a daze. At first he was shocked, but he quickly realized that his guest pulled him into a tag game.

“Wow! She’s fast!” The baldy muttered as he also sprinted, leaving a small crater on his former standing place and a trail of dust. “Cool!”

Barely two seconds passed and Saitama managed to catch up with Eto along the cold asphalt. Without minding her host, the half-ghoul kept running until she spotted an overpass and jumped onto a nearby building. As she had expected, he kept tailing her.

She jumped from roof to roof until she found the brown apartment the baldy dwelt in. Eto landed on the top and stopped at the edge of the roof. Her pursuer also ceased his run, facing her while standing. Both of them didn’t break a sweat and sported amazed look, marveling each capability.

“Incredible, Saitama-kun! How can you become that fast?” Eto asked in excitement as she plopped down on the edge.

“You’re also cool, Eto-san!” Saitama praised as he put a dumb smile. “Well, I guess it’s thanks to my training.”

“Training?” Eto craned her head in a slight confusion. “Care to explain what kind of training is it?”

Saitama’s face gradually turned into a serious one as he gazed into the cloudy sky, stunning Eto. His facial features became sharp as his eyes possessed the gaze of a hardened investigator. At this point she guessed that the guy would likely share his biggest secret in his life.

Or either pulling up a prank as a retaliation.

“I did push-ups, sit-ups and squats, 100 times each, plus 10 kilometers run, every single day.” The hero explained with a deep voice as his eyes narrowed, giving an impression that his words are an undeniable fact. “No air conditioning when it’s hot and no heater when it’s cold. I did this routine for three years.”

Eto’s jaw unhinged at the seemingly convincing yet ridiculously illogical thing Saitama spewed. Fortunately, she had put the prank possibility in advance. Still, the idea was extremely baffling since human could never attain such kind of ability through that kind of mere training.

“Oh… Uh… Is that so? You are not kidding, right?” The flesh-eater asked the bulb-head in exasperation, nearly losing her power of speech. “That’s…”

“Yes. That’s my training, Eto-san.” The baldy nodded in confirmation. “Oh, and never forget to eat three times a day. A banana for a breakfast is okay.”

Eto slowly closed her mouth as she pondered about the ridiculous feats the baldy had displayed so far. Absolutely, there must be something behind his of power. It made her ponder further about the world she got tossed into. She was still far from any conclusion, but she could assume that there was something disturbingly off about this world.

Her mind at this point had ventured too far.

Could it be that this is the fate of a place when the cage has been opened? Is it true that human beings had evolved so fast that the law of nature bent? Or, is it simply because the unknown just wanted to reveal its existence?

Monsters and everpowered humans... The premises only led her to the creator of this world.

“Eto-san... Eto-san?” Saitama called as he waved his hand in front of Eto’s face.

“Huh?” Eto blinked several times as she escaped the whirlpool of her mind. “Oh?”

“Are you okay? Sheesh… You suddenly turned quiet. That’s scary, you know.” Saitama spoke as he smiled.

The half-ghoul fidgeted, stunned at the sincere concern the lonely hero had displayed. Once again, her aching heart which hated the world found a momentary solace due to the simple act. His seemingly lifeless eyes which bore no ambition told much about how he really meant his words. The simple slits of his lips made his pureness even more prominent.

Eto was confused at this kind of contradiction, yet she felt a sense of calmness when she looked at his dopey smile. It felt nice. It was something she rarely found in her painful struggle above the accursed ground called Tokyo.

“Oh, hmm… Sorry. I was spacing out. I guess… Well, is that really true, Saitama-kun?” Eto leaned herself forward as she regained her smile.

“Yeah. That’s pretty much what I did.” Saitama nodded.

“I see… For me, that’s kinda hard to believe, but maybe… it’s because I don’t have any idea how it works. Hehehehe…” Eto gave a small chuckle at the absurdity she decided to uncover in the future.

“Well, yeah…” Saitama responded with a wide smile. “I guess…”

A familiar sound of low rumbling echoed around that quiet rooftop. Eto covered her mouth, faking an embarrassment while Saitama raised his thin brow.

“Oh dear… This will be a big mistake if I took your regimen.” Eto smiled as she went down from the edge.

“Uh… Do you mean that you haven’t had your breakfast?” Saitama asked.

“Can’t be helped. I saw an explosion when I came out from the bathroom.” Eto shrugged her shoulders. “So, would you like to accompany my breakfast?”

“Sure. This way.” The baldy smiled as he led the way to the downstairs. “You can have your meal as I read your third chapter.”

“That’s great. Thanks, Saitama-kun.”

* * *

‘ _This is the third day of my research on Saitama-sensei’s daily life. So far, I haven’t found anything special about him. His daily routine is like most normal human. To add as a side-note, his relationship with Eto-sensei is just like an ordinary couple. However, I believe that there is something else_.’

Genos closed his note regarding his field observation on the hero who saved his life some days prior. He took a last glance through the tripod-mounted telescope beside him to see the night activity of his master before he retreated.

When he peeked through the lens, the baldy for a moment looked around warily to the distance. Genos added another note that despite his seemingly sloppy moves, Saitama was quite vigilant of his surroundings. The cyborg quickly scribbled down his finding into his notebook.

When the bald master slid open the glass door, the cyborg paid more attention since there was something which intrigued him. The presence of Saitama’s roommate interested him. As Saitama closed the door, Genos wondered about what the two would do next as he activated some heat sensors and IR mode in his telescope. 

‘ _I see… So, it is likely that they are going to engage a normal night activity most couple do_.’ Genos mused as he picked up some traces of red and yellow specks in the digital imaging, shuffling around. ‘ _Hold on…! No. This is not right! I must stop here! Although I am in a research to discover Saitama-sensei’s secret of his strength, intruding into his intimate relation with Eto-sensei is unethical. This means, I have disturbed their extremely personal space!_ ’

Genos immediately backed away from his telescope and wrote down several rows of sentences, scolding himself to never reach this essence of life. Although there were some possibilities that Saitama’s secret of strength settled within this pink zone, Genos decided to not wander beyond this area any further.

“Forgive me, Saitama-sensei, Eto-sensei! For the sake of your happiness, I will never do this again!” Genos made a seiza in his lookout base and prostrated in apology to the couple.

Thus, Genos packed all his equipment for his field observation and ended the inquiry for that night. He hoped that tomorrow, he could find more clues about his master through another observation.

* * *

The next morning, Saitama decided to accompany Eto to the downtown of Z City. She had just finished her work and needed to send it to a local publisher as soon as she hit an unexpectedly lucky contract offer. The publisher eagerly wanted to see her in person and as a result, she wanted an escort. He didn’t mind about it and they went out.

Besides, she needed to buy some new dresses.

As of now, she donned herself in a blue skirt and a white shirt. She got a bunch of of those attires after she made some little explorations around the ghost-apartment complex.

If the lawful Saitama were to know about her secret break-ins however, there was no telling how she would fare. Although, it was likely that he would just order her to return them to their rightful place, honoring the people who once owned them.

Meanwhile, bedecked in his hero costume, Saitama walked beside Eto, sporting a rather serious yet joyful face. He didn’t know why, but during the days after she decided to stay with him, he found a new kind of refreshing energy. His boredom lessened while his hero activity became, somewhat, more meaningful.

Although he still couldn’t free himself from the fact that all he gave in a fight, was a single punch.

Eto’s company as a roommate gave him a nice chance for a lively interaction. They chatted, shared stories and everything normal friends would do. All in all, it was fun in this passing week.

They were quite close, to the point that they slept on the same futon under the same blanket. It was a new experience he never felt before.

However, every time Eto lured him to let himself enjoy her body, he always refused! Despite with nervousness, he always managed to turn down the offer. It was true that he showed a hesitance on declining her free treat, but nary a hint of man’s lust ever flashed over his mien. Eto really respected it and she pulled out gracefully.

Truth be told, Eto’s playfully sadistic side wanted to test his limit through her constant teasing. And she enjoyed it, really much.

Aside from the nice thing Saitama enjoyed and the little evil Eto pulled out, everything was fine. So fine and smooth like the deal with the generous publisher at the moment.

Long story short, Eto signed a contract from the publisher and received 300 thousand Yen in advance. It was an enough sum which could sustain a life of a couple for a week in a place like City Z.

The two hobbled out from the office after the deal and hit the clothing store. Eto spent a little of those money she acquired for some casual wears and undergarments.

The outing went almost like a date although, being oblivious as he always be, Saitama didn’t really aware of it. Added with people’s ridiculing stares, their joyful walk-around turned awkward.

Eto for her part didn’t really mind about that however. Sure, it was the first time she took a stroll with a weirdo. Of course going out with her dear promoter, Shiono, felt more bearable than this one. Nevertheless, she had a reason to keep Saitama as her company because it was simply fun.

When they exited the store, it was noon already and they decided to have a lunch at a restaurant. However, once in a while, Saitama turned his gaze above his shoulder in wary, noticing that someone was tailing them.

“What’s wrong, Saitama-kun?” Eto inquired as she also glanced back.

“I feel like someone’s tagging us.” Saitama’s eyes narrowed.

“Hmm…?” Eto hummed as she also squinted her eyes at a tree Saitama was cautiously staring at.

Eto’s sharp senses as a flesh-eater also alarmed her that there was something off. This keen instinct of her was one thing she could be proud of, especially during her days back in Ward 24.

She was surprised that Saitama also possessed this valuable ability a warrior must have. His vigilance didn’t slip Eto’s attention, hinting her that he was a hardened veteran despite his dull appearance.

“A stalker, perhaps?” The novelist shrugged her shoulders.

“Stalker? I see… As far as he doesn’t really mess around with us, I guess I don’t need to punch him.” Saitama turned as his serious glare loosened when he saw a big board of a local diner.

For a moment, Eto felt her back shuddered instinctively. In these past five days, she had caught a view of Saitama in his hero job. To say the least, it was absurdly terrifying for those who met his fist. Blood and gore like what she described in Black Goat’s Egg would be the final ends for the monsters he punched. She couldn’t imagine how Tokyo would become if either Washuu’s CCG or her Aogiri ever had this man in their rank.

This, only strengthened her belief that she should never put herself in a bad term with the hero. The event of that night was enough as a lifetime warning that she was nothing compared to him.

‘I just teased him to see his reaction. I didn’t mean to piss him off.’ Eto made a mental justification as she glanced at her companion.

Shrugging the thought which oddly she found unnerving, she followed Saitama’s lead. When she looked at the place where they were heading to, she raised her brow. The color theme on the board felt familiar, yet the title sounded odd. Just plain odd.

“Jonasama? Are we going to have lunch there?” Eto asked as she smiled wryly.

“Yeah. The foods are good and relatively cheap.” Saitama pointed as his boots squeaked over the parking lot’s asphalt.

“Oh. That’s great.” Eto nodded. “You really are a very calculating person, Saitama-kun. It’s rare to find people like you these days. Others tend to spend too much money just because they can earn them easily.”

“Are you implying that I’m a cheapskate?” Saitama quipped as he turned to Eto, earning her grin. “It’s out of necessity, you know. To be economical has become my lifestyle cause I don’t have much choice.”

Eto nodded in understanding. “I see… That makes me wonder if there is a way to turn your monster-hunt activity to be a source of income.”

“… Source of income!” Saitama’s gaze turned much sharper upon hearing the term.

Eto even swore that she saw a flash of fire in Saitama’s eyes. However, it died down as quick as they reached the entrance of the restaurant.

“Nah. I’ve tried once. And the result... I didn’t get the money, plus I got kicked by the landlady.” Saitama followed as his face reverted to his usual bored expression with a tinge of utter disappointment.

“Aw… That’s too bad.” Eto tried to put a sympathizing look as she scanned the interior of the restaurant. “I think it’s because you insulted the landlady in a way or another, no?”

“Yeah. I was just really unlucky.” Saitama didn’t really want to recall the event, especially the old landlady’s glare. “That’s totally suck.”

The two silently headed to a set of empty seat. As soon as they sat, a waitress offered them the menu list. Eto smiled as she admitted that the service was quite good, nearly comparable to some restaurants she visited around Nerima and Shibuya.

Eto silently tracked Saitama’s index movement on the list and giggled when it landed on the cheapest the diner could offer. The waitress’ lips cracked a wry smile, noticing the baldy’s choice.

“Oh my, Saitama-kun… Please, don’t make me laugh!” Eto’s chuckle ceased as she cast a sly smile. “As a strong guy, shouldn’t you mind about your diet?”

“Well, that’s true. But haven’t I said that I don’t have much choice?” The hero sighed.

“Huhu… That’s why I’m here. So, why don’t you choose what you like?” Eto smiled in amusement as she clapped her hands. “It’s my treat.”

“Eto-san… Really?” Saitama’s eyes widened.

“Yes. Think of this as my thanks for letting me as a freeloader.” Eto nodded, never letting her smile fade.

Saitama’s cheeks turned red in embarrassment. As a man, he still had a dignity and felt that being the one who got treated by a lady was shameful. It wasn’t like he wanted to turn down the offer, but he felt that Eto was very kind to him although he never gave anything in return save a place to stay.

“Uh… Thank you, Eto-san.” Saitama sheepishly smiled.

“Mm, mm… Don’t sweat it, Saitama-kun. You’ve also done a great job to help me finish my work. It’s take and give.”

The two finally ordered two portions of 200 gram steak, a plate of fried potato and two glasses of iced-tea. As they waited their meal to come, Eto struck another conversation.

“So, Saitama-kun… Care to tell me about how you started your monster-beating hobby?” Eto asked curiously as she bridged her hands under her chin. “I want to hear your story.”

She was just curious and wanted to dig more about his personality to pass the time. If she was lucky, maybe she could use the information as a fresh idea for her new works.

“Oh… It actually began around three years ago, right after I failed a job interview.” The bald hero reminisced as he momentarily shifted his gaze around. “If I’m not mistaken, I saw a crab monster on my way home. I saved a kid with giant cleft chin from that monster, killed it, and yeah… Then I started my training.”

As she had expected, Saitama was not dumb at all. The manner he recalled and phrased his story was on a level of her fans from college student circle she ever talked with. She suspected that his life in seclusion and the constant alienation he suffered shaped him into his current lifeless state.

“I see… So after you started your training, you gradually grow stronger, I suppose. Is that right?” Eto baited to see the hidden tidbit she might scrounge from the story.

“Y-yeah. Really much like that.” Saitama’s face showed a mix of mild of disbelief and excitement at Eto’s spot on guess. “I could punch stronger, run faster, and my body become tougher.”

“Tougher?” Eto creased her brows. “Do you mean that you could receive harder blows as your training progressed?”

“Yep. In the beginning, I often got cuts and bruises, but as I trained, it became rarer.” Saitama spoke as his expression grew less enthusiastic. “Until I could fight without getting hurt.”

Eto picked up the shift of his countenance and fished out more.“But… Isn’t that good? You didn’t need to mind about getting wounded anymore, right?”

“True. But what’s the point if I can end my fight with a single punch?” The hero’s face became plain, but his voice showed a speck of frustration. “You know, it’s… not fun anymore. I lost the thrill and excitement like when I still often got injured. I can win every fight with one punch, but it’s awfully boring.”

The waitress came back with the foods the couple had ordered. When all the menus had settled on the table, Eto decided to cut the interview session. The piece of information she acquired was really interesting.

Not to mention that it was quite a source material for a story.

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that.” Eto cast an apologetic smile and she clasped her hands. “However, life is not all about fighting, right? So for now, why don’t we enjoy this, Saitama-kun?”

“Hmm… Yeah. You’re right. Thanks, Eto-san.” Saitama smiled as the steaming delicacy before him warded off the bad feeling from his recollection.

A momentary brief silence ensued as each person hesitated to start. Eto and Saitama then chuckled as they took their fork and knife.

“So, what are we waiting for?” 

“Oh, alright.”

““Itedakimasu!””

However, before Saitama sliced his share, his eyes rolled and stared intently at the fried potato. His eyes were frowning at the meager amount of the food.

“Seriously? You spend 300 Yen just for this fries?” Saitama muttered as he gazed at the state of the potato sticks. “This one is long but still raw. The others are short and fried well. This…”

“… Is something wrong, Saitama-kun?” Eto ceased before she drove her small bite into her mouth.

“Uh, mm… Nothing. Just… Is 300 Yen normal for fried potato?” Saitama turned to Eto as he grimaced.

His expression was like a client of an insurance company who begged an answer for the feasibility of a claim. Eto couldn’t help but laughed inwardly at his pitiful nature.

Eto quickly took her bite and swallowed it, savoring the taste but for a second. “Hmm. I guess 300 Yen is a fair price. Back at my place, a portion of fried potato was around 400 Yen.”

The petite novelist never really cared about food price since she could sustain her need for nutrients from human-flesh. However, she knew that 300 Yen was fairly cheap for a portion of fried potato. Compared to Tokyo, the average living cost in this city was much tamer.

“For real?” The baldy put an incredulous stare.

“Yeah. Even a cup of black coffee can cost around 2,000 Yen. Living there can bite your wallet if you’re not smart.” Eto smiled as she nonchalantly cut her steak. “That place is pleasant outside but like hell inside. And if you know its deepest secrets, you’d consider to run as far as you can.”

Saitama sweat-dropped. He darted his gaze towards his steak with a heavy feeling, depressed at the fact but somewhat grateful that he lived in Z City. 

Seeing Saitama’s reaction, Eto stifled a laughter as she tried to read his thoughts. Slowly, she could guess the pattern of his behavior and personality. In essence, he was just a simple-minded guy who tried to escape reality through his absurd so called training. The result was a physically strong man who could be shaken easily by some trivial things most people paid no mind into.

However, that was just what she could draw so far from her observations. She wouldn’t stop and she wanted to dig more.

“Ah… Don’t think too much about it. I didn’t mean to scare you, okay.” Eto placated with a smile.

“…Yeah. I guess I am luckier than expected.” Saitama replied as he slackly rose from his seat. “Sorry, I guess I need to go to…”

“Oh, how sudden.” Eto raised her brows. “Okay then. Take your time.”

As the baldy headed to the restroom, she took another note about his manner. And for some reason, the half-ghoul suddenly felt an urge to check some magazines while waiting for Saitama’s return. She ceased her lunch and left her seat.

Unfortunately, her habit to put down her guard when she deemed the situation was safe only granted her a false security. She failed to detect the previous threat. Unbeknownst to her, a certain cybernetic being had been observing her and Saitama all the time. The moment Eto reached the magazine stalls, he dashed to nick the things Saitama regarded as sacred items off the plates they settled upon.

For the sake of his inquiry.

* * *

“It is indeed strange. You haven’t taken your meal and I was reading some magazines, but are you sure that your mind didn’t play some trick on you?” Eto asked as she walked besides Saitama, strolling around City Z after the odd misunderstanding at Jonasama. “No offense, okay.”

“I swear, Eto-san! I noticed the longest potato stick and a bite worth of my steak were gone!” Saitama replied as he clenched his teeth in irk. “What kind of guy who dare to steal other’s meal!? If it’s the stalker, seriously, I’ll really punch him!”

Eto could only put a wry smile in response. The event was ridiculous yet funny. Somewhat, she felt sorry for the strong guy for losing the precious meal he adored.

“Maybe among the customers and waitresses, there were some secret gourmet.” Eto jested as she snickered. “Why do you think too much about it? Next time, we can just go to other restaurant.”

Saitama sighed. “Well, you know. Maybe, it’s not about how it lost or who stole it, but I feel like I carelessly lose a DVD I brought from a local movie rental. And of all time, why it should be now?”

“… Perhaps, it’s because someone has really fallen in love with you.” Eto absentmindedly threw her jab at Saitama.

“Ugh!” Saitama gasped as he recalled the ending scene from the film he watched last night with Eto.

‘ _When hate turns into love… That’s it!_ ’ The lonely hero remembered his musing – the impression he got after watching the movie as he slowly turned to the former Aogiri boss.

“Say, Eto-san. I know this is silly, but can the person who… You said as someone who loves me, was a person who hate me in the past? Or worse, the guy had a grudge.” Saitama asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

Eto stopped her pace and snorted, then burst into full laughter as she turned to see the flustered hero. She chuckled until she felt cram in her stomach. It had been a very long time since she found a seriously funny stuff in her life.

“… Oh… Saitama-kun, please… would you like to make me stop from laughing?” Eto held her stomach as she saw Saitama’s unamused look.

“Hey! I’m serious, you know!” Saitama slightly frowned.

“Oh, my bad, but do you really believe in a cheap movie you watched last night?” Eto snorted as she rubbed her eyes. “T-that’s stupid!”

“Huh~ Are you going to answer my question, or not?” The baldy’s face slightly made a scowl at the novelist’s remark.

“Alright, alright. But, firstly, what will you do if you really find that guy, or people, who hated you and eventually madly fall in love with you?” Eto directed the question to the point, prompting Saitama to cup his chin in pondering.

“I will…” Saitama hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Punch them? What if they would willingly pay your apartment rent, cover all your living cost and… perhaps offer you some wage for killing some monsters? Surely bonking them is not a nice idea, right?”

Eto stirred Saitama’s opinion to see how he would react at that kind of decision. She tried to test whether he was a firm-minded guy, or just some bloke who could be swayed easily by bling like what she thought. She waited patiently as the baldy considered his choice.

A minute passed and Saitama’s face turned very serious. His gaze bore so deep into her eyes, nearly made her flinch.

“… I will surely welcome whoever that man is. It would be a waste if I refuse such a lucrative offer.”

And that was Saitama’s answer for Eto’s conditional scenario. As expected, no one could stand before some glimmering fortune, even a man who held a tremendous power like him she had yet to discover its full extent. 

‘ _Perfect! Just as I thought_.’ Eto mused in jubilation as she smiled. ‘ _What an easy guy_.’

“Wise choice. But how will you deal with their behavior which, probably shows affection and adoration in an annoyingly excessive way?” Eto delivered another question to check the hero’s train of thought.

“Do you mean how should I face this kind of guy if they kind of worshiping me?” Saitama inquired and gained a nod from Eto. “Well… Maybe I’ll just ask them to stop.”

“Okay. But if they’re really stubborn, like… They keep begging you and even going as far as intruding your personal space… Are you going to punch them?” Eto spammed another question.

“Hmm… Maybe, I’ll just scare them, I guess.” Saitama raised his shoulders in a mild doubt.

‘ _Dull, but very dangerous…_ ’ Eto remarked in her thought as she regarded the baldy with a friendly mien for a brief moment.

“Well. It’s hard to believe that such kind of thing could happen, but I think that’s the best course of action.” Eto looked at Saitama and grabbed his hand.

“Eto-san?” The baldy was flustered as the petite novelist grinned in joy.

“So, Saitama-kun, where are we going now? We’ve met the guys at the publishing house, gone shopping, had lunch and now…?” Eto raised the shopping bags in her hand. “Have any idea of a nice place for hanging out?”

“I… don’t think so.” Saitama scratched his cheek.

“Aw… That’s too bad. Then why don’t we stroll around the city a little more?” Eto offered as she pulled Saitama’s hand.

“Uh, sure.” Saitama followed her pace.

After some minutes of tour while telling Eto about the buildings she asked about, the pair arrived in front of a drugs and cosmetic store with a logo of a yellow crescent moon. Eto decided to drop by to buy some medical supplies and Saitama just waited outside at the parking lot.

Five minutes later, Eto dashed out with a plastic bag in her hand. Saitama craned his head in slight interest since he noticed the shape and color of the bag’s content.

It was an item he was quite familiar in the past when he still making his way to become too strong.

“Bandages? Why taking that many?” Saitama raised his brow.

“… It’s… A secret. You’ll know later.” Eto grinned as she waved around the bag.

When the two were going walk away, people around that parking lot screamed as they ran about. The couple darted their gaze and found some men and women, lying on ground with dry and blackened face like they were mummies.

“Hmh…mh…mh, I am Men’s Aesthician Man…” The culprit began his introductory monologue as he brandished some sort of cream-sprayer staff in his right hand and an oversized cream bottle around the other arm.

Saitama stepped forward to face the B-class criminal. “Hey, you!”

The tall blond thug in a set of black suit briefly widened his eyes as he registered Saitama. His pink moisturizer mask twitched 

“Oh. Hmh…mh…mh. I know you! At last, we meet once again.” The criminal exclaimed as he raised his pink staff. “Don’t you remember me? When I was rampaging six month ago, you suddenly appeared and defeated me with a single punch. Since then, I chase you and always apply moisturizer on my face. Then I become a monster as you can see now.”

The baldy cupped his chin as he racked his brain, rummaging through the register of his mind about this particular goon. The clue the guy gave didn’t help at all. Finally he failed to recall who the guy was, but he got another revelation in exchange.

And Saitama was seriously certain about that.

“I see. Now I know you.” Saitama nodded his head.

“Hmh…mh…mh. Do you remember now!?”

Eto who had been watching from the sideline also stepped forward beside Saitama. She was curious about the unfolding event, specifically how Saitama would deal with a weird psycho.

“Someone you know, from your past, Saitama-kun?” Eto asked the obvious as she stared at the flamboyant-looking thug. “Need some help?”

“Thanks, Eto-san. But I should deal with this guy who dared to steal my steak and potato!” Saitama refused Eto’s kind offer with a deeper voice as he handed her shopping bag.

Eto was flustered at Saitama’s sudden conclusion, but eventually relented to see the unfolding premise. She expected that the poor thug was a wrong man at the wrong place on the nasty time. It would be one punch, and it was the end.

“You know, my mood for this nice day ruined because you stole the some pricey steak and potato.” Saitama walked closer towards Men’s Aesthician Man with a steady pace as his look grew menacing. “So, don’t pretend to be innocent, STALKER!”

“EH!?” The pink moisturizer mask on the criminal’s face fell as he made an utterly horrified grimace.

The bald hero cocked back his right arm and launched a blow to the goon’s stomach, sending him flying as it produced a small shock wave. Men’s Aesthician Man slammed through a brick fence and a house behind it, leaving a hole in the shape of his person.

“NEVER STEAL OTHER’S MEAL, REMEMBER THAT!” Saitama shouted in anger as his gloved hand smoldered.

Behind the hero, the half-ghoul gawked at the event with slacking jaw since her eyes somewhat still could track the strike. She had seen how he ended some stray monsters with a single punch and left behind some unsightly carcasses, but this one, was new. Punching a guy without blowing his body into bits was quite impressive.

Somehow, Saitama’s unique ability reminded Eto to one of her men in Aogiri’s rank, Matasaka Kamishiro, known as Orca. The senile martial artist who took control of the Ward 6 was indeed strong, but he was not a guy who liked to brutalize his enemies for fun, unlike most of her lackeys.

“Sheeesh! I really hate that kind of guy! Seriously, nicking a bite of steak and a piece of potato while pretending to know me!? What does he think!?” Saitama mumbled in ire as he turned back to see Eto. “Let’s go back, Eto-san. Sorry, I guess that will do the job for a while.”

“Oh. Uh…” Eto silently followed as she wondered about how angry the hero could be.

* * *

“Ouch… That baldy! It really hurts!” Men’s Aesthetician Man touched his side of stomach. “Some of my ribs might be broken. This isn’t healthy! Not beautiful at all!”

Under the moonlight, the B-ranked criminal was dragging his feet, alone through the quiet street of City Z. His clothes were tattered, result of Saitama’s punch while his body sustained some broken bones from the impact after the blow.

Miraculously, he managed to get up and walked away before any cop or pro hero came. It could be counted that he was lucky since Saitama’s attack didn’t kill him.

At least he thought so until he saw a small figure in a red hoodie with bandage wrapped around its limbs, standing up high on top of an electric pole. This mysterious figure who was likely a child or a woman suddenly let out a muffled giggle as her obscured face only revealed her red, glowing right eye.

“Found you!” The bandaged lady exclaimed in a cheery, yet eerie voice.

“…. Youuu!? Who– What are you!? A monster!?” The cosmetic-addicted guy stuttered as he backed away, meeting his back with a wall.

“Men’s Aesthician Man, is it?” The hooded figure descended with a soft leap and landed soundlessly before him. “I’m lonely, you know. I need a friend to play with. So, will you become my friend?”

Fear took over the tall guy. He cowered as his fingers scratched the wall behind him out of horror. There was no sane way that the being before him was a human. Either a ghost from urban legends, a monster, or something else.

“Hell no! G-go away! There’s no way you’re a kid, MONSTER!” The criminal barked as the remaining strength in his feet desperately brought him into a run, fleeing away from the damn thing.

“I see… If you say I’m a monster, then I’ll become one!” The hooded figure spoke as a pair of white arms branched out from her back.

“MO-MONSTER…! R-RUN!” Men’s Aesthician Man muttered loud enough under his ragged breath as his shoes stomped the road, zigzagging through the maze of the sleeping city in an attempt to fool the monster.

When he thought that he had escaped from the unknown beast, he felt something hot went through his chest. His head instinctively dropped down and found what kind of darn thing which struck him. It was solid like a crystal and red like blood.

The mortifying shock and pain locked his jaw as his vision went darker. He stumbled forth with a soft thud, his body ran cold. As blood pooled under his wound, the crystal evaporated into some red gas.

“It’s been a while since I have a big dinner like this. Actually I feel bad for slaying a guy who got crippled by Saitama-kun.” The hooded figure landed quietly beside her kill. “And unlike him, I never hate a poor guy like you, okay. No hard feelings, but well… anyway, itedakimasu.”

The mysterious being opened the bandage around her mouth to reveal her small, delicate lips. For a moment, they trembled in excitement as they inched closer towards the food.

The next moment, a soft crunching sound echoed around that quiet spot of Z City.

And thus, the legend of the flesh-eater known as Red-Hoodie began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I never thought that Saitama and Eto will go out to this kind of date that soon. XD
> 
> Putting the date aside, Eto would still cling onto her evil self. She wouldn’t cause a major mayhem though, but her manipulative side would always emerge to turn everything to her favor. Do remember that this isn’t a premise to put her as a villain. Hope this will answer the question from a certain guest reviewer.
> 
> If the one who treated Saitama was Fubuki, he surely would take it without much thinking. It’s like he took her good offer as a compensation for being a pesky woman. However, the result would be different if the one who did that were a girl who showed a likable persona. So, I hope this is good enough to portray Eto’s sweet side.
> 
> And yeah. I guess adding a filler episode from the OVA is nice, so I go with this idea to insert more slice of life.
> 
> Hope you like this and see you in the next story. ;-) Thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. Why Eto?
> 
> Because she’s cool for a monster in OPM universe. Her ability is around Demon-level, making her as a perfect buster in this world.
> 
> And I hope that this will develop into a Saitama X Eto.
> 
> Let me know what you think. :D
> 
> Hope you like this and see you in the next story.


End file.
